Dow Corning has its corporate headquarters in Williams Township and production facilities throughout the Tri-county region. Burns said Dow Corning views itself as a Bay region company.

Hemlock Semiconductor officials announced Monday the company would spend up to $1 billion on a third expansion of its factory in Saginaw County. The company makes polycrystalline silicon, a key component used in solar panels and electronics.

Dow Corning also announced it would built a separate factory near Hemlock to produce another compound used in solar manufacturing. Details of that project are still being developed and its cost was not announced.

Hemlock Semiconductor said it would invest $1.2 billion to create a second polycrystalline silicon factory in Tennessee as well.